A Belgium coffee company has seen its latest commercial, titled “Something To Share,” go viral and gay Twitter approves. Belgium-based instant coffee brand Douwe Egberts initially shows two teens getting hot and heavy in a romantical moment at home and one of them is covered by a hoodie. When dad walks in the door, the teens make a dash for upstairs. During the run to the bedroom, though, dad gets a glimpse of the couple. His daughter registers a moment of concern, but the next thing she knows she gets a text message complete with three coffee emojis. As the teens sit down for java, the inclusive twist is revealed along with the slogan, “We all have something to share over a Douwe Egberts coffee.” Good on you, Douwe Egberts
And gay Twitter goes wild:
Wow perhaps I suddenly love Douwe Egberts I fucking love being Dutch I love Dutch coffee https://t.co/DmH7DmdMX4
In a six-page filing formally responding to the House impeachment charges submitted shortly after and filled with partisan barbs against House Democrats, Mr. Trump’s lawyers denounced the case as constitutionally and legally invalid, and driven purely by a desire to hurt Mr. Trump in the 2020 election.
“The articles of impeachment submitted by House Democrats are a dangerous attack on the right of the American people to freely choose their president,” they said in the response, which was Mr. Trump’s first legal submission in the impeachment proceeding, ahead of a fuller brief that is due on Monday. “This is a brazen and unlawful attempt to overturn the results of the 2016 election and interfere with the 2020 election, now just months away.”
The president’s lawyers did not deny any of the core facts underlying Democrats’ charges, conceding what considerable evidence and testimony in the House has shown: that he withheld $391 million in aid and a White House meeting from Ukraine and asked the country’s president to investigate former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his son, Hunter Biden.
But they said Mr. Trump broke no laws and was acting entirely appropriately and within his powers when he did so, echoing his repeated protestations of his own innocence. They argued that he was not seeking political advantage, but working to root out corruption in Ukraine.
In an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” attorney Alan Dershowitz (who is part of Trump’s legal team) argued that “abuse of power” is not a crime and therefore not an impeachable offense.
Dershowitz says “you can’t charge a president with impeachable conduct” if it doesn’t fit criteria in Constitution. “I’m a liberal Democrat who voted against President Trump and who voted for Hillary Clinton. I’m here to present a constitutional argument” https://t.co/su65A8bcwGpic.twitter.com/srgJyOQ2qV
Pete Buttigieg on the campaign trail (all photos – PeteForAmerica)Guest post by Joshua Grotheer At a time when it’s “us” vs. “them” or left vs. right or red vs blue, I’m tired. I’m tired of the fighting. I’m tired of the hate. I’m tired of the divisiveness of politics. I’m tired of losing friendships over who someone voted for or supports. I’m tired of hurtful conversations while sitting in the church pew or around the family table. As the gay son of a United Methodist preacher and raised with Fox News on the television, I’ve always felt that I didn’t belong. I didn’t belong in my church, in my own home or in my Southern conservative community. Thankfully I attended a performing arts high school that celebrated those of us who were different. In college, I knew that my social and political beliefs were different from my family. I also knew it was okay to be different. Now, at 32 and a self-proclaimed “recovering United Methodist” I am drawn to a candidate for president who has built his entire campaign around inclusion and belonging. You see, Pete Buttigieg knows what it’s like to be different. An out gay man who is also deeply religious isn’t something I ever thought possible, much less presidential. He sees the differences in humanity and is celebrating our differences by uniting us with shared values. If the last three years have taught me anything, it’s that I’m ready for a breath of fresh air in Washington. Pete and Chasten Buttigieg I’m ready for something different. I’m ready for an outsider who understands the marginalized. I’m ready for a president that leads with values. I’m ready for a president that acknowledges that God does not belong to a political party. I’m ready for decency to return to the White House and to the Office of the President. I’m ready for someone better. I’m ready to vote for a 38-year old Naval Intelligence officer who is a devout Episcopalian from the Midwest who makes me feel hopeful. I’m ready to vote for someone who is uniquely positioned to bridge the divides tearing this country apart. I’m ready to vote for Pete Buttigieg for President.
R-L James Blunt with his father, former cavalry officer Colonel Charles Blount Whoa. Very powerful. From Yahoo News:
British singer-songwriter James Blunt is best known for his sentimental heartbreak ballads “You’re Beautiful” and “Goodbye My Lover,” but his latest single “Monsters,” a tribute to his ailing father, is his rawest and most poignant yet.
In his devastating new “Monsters” music video, an anguished Blunt, in an extreme close-up reminiscent of Sinead O’Connor’s iconic, one-take “Nothing Compares 2 U” clip, stares down the lens.
Blunt struggles to maintain his composure throughout the first half of video, so much much so that it’s almost uncomfortable to witness. And when the camera finally cuts to a wider shot, it becomes clear why he is so distraught, that he isn’t acting, and that his tears are very real.
Sitting stoically beside him is his real-life dad, former cavalry officer Colonel Charles Blount, who is battling stage 4 chronic kidney disease.
Blunt appeared on Good Morning Britain last year and shared his father’s serious illness. At the time, he addressed any possible organ donors: “I’ve come on here to ask you what blood group you are. Some things have been going on in my life that I needed to write about. My father has not been very well, actually. He needs a new kidney and a kidney donor. And I’ve come on here to ask you what blood group you are. If you are an O-positive, I’ll take it off you.” The artist later revealed that, sadly, he is not a match. The video went viral after Star Trek star William Shatner tweeted the clip to his 2.4 million Twitter followers:
I couldn't make it past 1 minute.. I'm bawling… Brilliant. Lovely. Heartbreaking. @caitiegreen
William Bradley Morgan (mugshot) A former dancer at a gay strip club in Atlanta has been sentenced to life in prison for killing his boyfriend. William Bradley Morgan, 37, was convicted on multiple charges including the murder of 43-year-old Brian Campbell, as well as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, theft by taking, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the two men met at a club in 2015. At the time, both were married to women. Morgan was employed as a dancer at the infamous all-nude Swinging Richards gay nightclub in Atlanta. His estranged wife lived in Alabama. Campbell, an executive for Comcast, lived in Delaware with his wife and children, but business trips brought him to Atlanta frequently. The two men soon became intimate and secretly began living together. But over time Morgan became financially dependent on Campbell. The financial situation, along with Morgan’s addiction to methamphetamines and the secret nature of their relationship eventually led Campbell to consider ending the romance. After spending the day at a racing event on October 1, 2016, Campbell apparently told Morgan he was leaving him. It was at that point that Morgan shot Campbell twice in the head. Attempting to cover up the murder, he wrapped Morgan in plastic trash bags and hid the body in a closet. Morgan turned the thermostat down and lit a scented candle presumably to conceal the smell. On his way out the door, he stole Campbell’s Land Rover Discovery, two expensive watches, his cell phone, an iPad, his wallet and a handgun. It would be four days until Campbell’s body would be found when his wife contacted authorities filing a missing persons report. His abandoned vehicle was found in Calhoun County, Alabama. Two weeks later, Morgan was arrested in Jacksonville, Alabama, after a standoff with police. After his arrest, he admitted to the secret relationship and stealing Campbell’s belongings, but denied committing the murder. Morgan had previously spent time in prison for aggravated assault and domestic violence. This week, Fulton Superior Court Judge Shawn Ellen LaGrua sentenced Morgan to life in prison.
Nick Jonas channels his best Risky Business The Jonas Brothers lose their pants in their latest music video, “What a Man Gotta Do,” and we ain’t mad. The video features the JoBros paying homage to their favorite rom-coms beginning with Nick Jonas (and his thick thighs) slip-sliding in his socks and button-down shirt channeling his best Tom Cruise in Risky Business.
It’s kind of hard to concentrate as Nick offers up some serious thigh-candy while wife Priyanka giggles from the couch. Joe Jonas and wife Sophie strut out their best John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John impersonations in a Grease-inspired dance-off complete with updated hand-jive. Joe Jonas goes pants-less Kevin Jonas goes full-on John Cusack standing outside Danielle’s bedroom window with a boombox lifted overhead a la Say Anything. Eventually, Kevin and Joe end up pants-less like Nick, which makes the music video that much better. All in all, it’s a fun diversion for a Friday. And, considering the video has nearly 5 million views in less than a day, it’s pretty safe to say we’re not the only ones who think so. With its oh-so-catchy hook, the pop track is sure to be a hit…and did we mention the music video?
(image via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: #TBT to when woofy Fran Dullon (above) was feeling a bit ‘country.’ #MamasPleaseLetYourBabiesGrowUpToBeCowboys • The Courier: It’s rare for people in the UK to die of AIDS-related illnesses, with the National Health Service immediately placing those diagnosed with HIV on antiretroviral therapy. Ross Scott, of Kirkcaldy, found out he had HIV in early 2017 after he began to develop health problems. A week ago he was placed in hospice care and warned he didn’t have long to live. Just hours after sharing his story yesterday, Scott passed away at the age of 25. • Bloomberg News: Vimeo Inc. defeated a lawsuit by a self-described “former homosexual” who accused the video hosting website of discrimination after it removed his videos promoting sexual orientation conversion efforts, according to a Wednesday ruling by the Southern District of New York. • Boxers NYC: Celebrating the sports gay bar’s first ten years in business, Boxers NYC shares this behind-the-scenes look at the hunky bartenders posing for its free (while supplies last) 2020 calendar.
• NBC News: Just hours before the deadline to file new bills for the coming legislative session, seven Republican lawmakers in Florida filed anti-LGBTQ bills late Monday. If passed, the bills would ban gender-affirming health care for transgender children, repeal municipal and county ordinances protecting LGBTQ workers, and legalize so-called gay conversion therapy in places that had banned the medically debunked practice. • AP: Ken Jennings won the “Jeopardy!” greatest-of-all-time title (and $1 million) by going all in with his 32,800 points for the Final Jeopardy round. The clue: “This area of Greece, home to Pan, is synonymous with a rural paradise; it’s a setting for Vergil’s shepherd poems the ‘Ecologues.'” And Jennings wrote the correct answer: “What is Arcadia?” • Netflix: A new fashion competition series from the streaming giant that features designers teaming up to create visionary looks that work for everyone. The winner will receive a $250,000 prize and the opportunity to debut their collection with fashion retailer Net-a-Porter. Hosted by Queer Eye’s Tan France and designer Alexa Chung, all 10 episodes of Next In Fashion launch on Netflix January 29.
President Donald Trump and aides sought Thursday to distance him from a Soviet-born businessman who said Trump knew all about efforts to pressure Ukraine into investigating U.S. political rival Joe Biden – a pivotal point in the Senate impeachment trial of the president. “I don’t believe I’ve ever spoken to him,” Trump told reporters about Lev Parnas, taking questions after an event announcing new federal guidance he has said will “safeguard” the rights of students to pray in school. Parnas said Trump knows him well and there are pictures of the two of them at various events. In an interview with CNN, Parnas said that every time Trump denies knowing him, “I’ll show him another picture. He’s lying.”
Here’s Trump telling reporters he meets thousands of people and doesn’t remember them, and that’s followed by tweets of photos and video showing the two men together.
“I don’t know those gentlemen.” – Trump “He was aware of all my movements.I wouldn't do anything w/o the consent of Giuliani, or the president. Why w Pres Zelenskiy’s inner circle meet me? Who am I?They were told to meet w me. That’s the secret they're trying to keep.” – Parnas pic.twitter.com/PrCxB6YIky
Pete Buttigieg (screen capture via NY Times) In advance of announcing its endorsement for the Democratic primary this coming Sunday, the editorial board of the New York Times sat down with White House hopefuls Sens. Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, former Vice President Joe Biden, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, former Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and business executives Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang. In this clip from the roughly 80 minute interview with Buttigieg, he’s asked why he doesn’t seem as emotive or angry as other young people. The question comes from Binyamin Appelbaum, a leading writer for the board on the subject of economics. In framing his question, Appelbaum asserts that Buttigieg has been “on the front lines of corporate price fixing,” prompting Mayor Pete to call ‘bullshit.’
Though he may not be as emotive as some of his Democratic rivals, @PeteButtigieg shows the editorial board a flash of the passion that he says propels his campaign. See more this Sunday on a special 2020 endorsement episode of @TheWeekly. Full transcript: https://t.co/ooUhuoRBV9pic.twitter.com/6qXKtgA0WF
You can read the full transcript of Buttigieg’s 80-minute interview here. But below is the excerpted transcript with the Times’ annotations in italics.
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Binyamin Appelbaum:If I can put this question in a slightly different way, you’ve been on the front lines of corporate downsizing. You’ve been on the front lines of corporate price fixing. Buttigieg: Whoa, whoa whoa, that’s, that’s, I’m sorry, that’s —— Appelbaum: You’ve been on the front of our misadventures in foreign policy. You’ve had direct experience in many of the things that make a lot of young people very angry about the way that this country is operating right now. You don’t seem to embody that anger.In 2003, Mr. Buttigieg — then a junior at Harvard — spoke at an antiwar rally in Cambridge, Mass., protesting the invasion of Iraq. More than a decade later, in 2014, he served seven months in Afghanistan as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserves. Buttigieg: So the proposition that I’ve been on front lines of corporate price fixing is bullshit. Just to get that out of the way. Appelbaum:You worked for a company that was fixing bread prices. Buttigieg: No, I worked for a consulting company that had a client that may have been involved in fixing or was apparently in a scandal. I was not aware of the Canadian bread pricing scandal until last night. Mr. Buttigieg’s campaign has maintained that he only recently heard of the bread price-fixing scheme and while he was working with Loblaws focused on price cuts more broadly across the grocery store chain.
BA: Do you feel the anger that many young people feel about the state of ——
Yeah, of course, because it destroyed my city. I grew up surrounded by crumbling factories and empty houses. My city lost 30,000 of its 130,000 people, largely before I was born.
South Bend had an unemployment rate of 13 percent in 2010. Under Mayor Buttigieg, it fell to 3.2 percent, though it rose back to 4.3 percent in 2018.
So I’m under no illusions about the problems that are present in American capitalism generally and were unleashed beginning with the Reagan era specifically. And while I may not be as emotive sometimes about my sense of anger or frustration or injustice — and I would argue that some people are given more room to be emotive than others — I would not be doing any of this if I were not propelled by a level of passion.
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The editorial board’s pick to be the nominee will be revealed on the January 19 episode of “The Weekly,” The Times’s television show on FX and Hulu.
A Belgium coffee company has seen its latest commercial, titled “Something To Share,” go viral and gay Twitter approves. Belgium-based instant coffee brand Douwe Egberts initially shows two teens getting hot and heavy in a romantical moment at home and one of them is covered by a hoodie. When dad walks in the door, the teens make a dash for upstairs. During the run to the bedroom, though, dad gets a glimpse of the couple. His daughter registers a moment of concern, but the next thing she knows she gets a text message complete with three coffee emojis. 
As the teens sit down for java, the inclusive twist is revealed along with the slogan, “We all have something to share over a Douwe Egberts coffee.” Good on you, Douwe Egberts 
Eventually, Kevin and Joe end up pants-less like Nick, which makes the music video that much better. All in all, it’s a fun diversion for a Friday. And, considering the video has nearly 5 million views in less than a day, it’s pretty safe to say we’re not the only ones who think so. With its oh-so-catchy hook, the pop track is sure to be a hit…and did we mention the music video?
